


The Vet

by lost_stickie_note



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Romance, Zhangjings Birthday Week - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 00:59:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16006970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_stickie_note/pseuds/lost_stickie_note
Summary: Zhangjing's Birthday Fic Countdown d-4/d-3Zhengting needs to take Wu Bai Wan to the vet.#ZhangjingsBirthdayWeek





	The Vet

**Author's Note:**

> #ZhangjingsBirthdayWeek
> 
> An official Zhuyou fic from me. ♡ Sorry for any mistakes. I rushed this one a bit. Inspired by the pics of them at the pet store and Zhangjing holding Zhengting's dog. T.T Ooof, my heart.
> 
> I will only be uploading 6 total fics for Zhangjing's birthday week because I got slammed with work and had less time than I thought I did to write. D: But there will be another two fics after this! And I will at some point write a long and proper Zhuyou fic because honestly they are just the most adorable fluffballs. 
> 
> **AND THERE IS FANART TO GO ALONG WITH THIS FIC (courtesy of my wonderful friend @yello_jelly, her[twt](https://twitter.com/yello_jelly)): [fanart](https://twitter.com/loststickienote/status/1041272236143988737)**
> 
> Shameless plug for all my other works~~
> 
> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Thank you to my wonderful beta-reader, you know who you are. :)
> 
> Follow me on Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote) for updates, randomness, etc.

 

Zhengting looks nervously down at his watch, hand stroking the top of Wu Bai Wan’s small head, the little dog a lot less active than usual. His dog had been looking sick the last few hours, looking listless, and when Wu Bai Wan vomited, he had immediately called the clinic, panicked and upset. The secretary on the phone had informed him that Wu Bai Wan’s normal vet was away on vacation, but the covering vet would be able to see him if he chose to come in. So he had left Fu Li with Justin and ChengCheng in a rush, giving them instructions on when to feed him and everything they needed to take care of Fu Li just in case he got held up at the clinic. He hadn’t even had time to grab anything of his own, only throwing together everything he needed for his dog.

 

The small whine coming from his lap makes his stomach clench uncomfortably, and Zhengting looks down, petting his dog’s head gently, whispering. “It’s okay, Wu Bai Wan. We’re almost there.” He stares anxiously out the window as the familiar buildings pass by, a few blocks away from the vet.

 

The secretary looks startled to see him, likely due to him being a lot more frazzled than his usual. He had been coming to the same place ever since getting Wu Bai Wan, trusting that the clinic would do a good job taking care of his dogs, the vet an old family friend. It was truly a stroke of luck that he had called just before the clinic was closing, the secretary about to leave for the day. It helped that he was a loyal client, the secretary saying they could squeeze him in even after normal clinic hours.

 

“Hello, Mr. Zhu, you can go right in. Our interim vet is waiting for you.” The woman smiles at him sympathetically. “I’m heading home now, but let me know how Wu Bai Wan feels tomorrow.”

 

Zhengting nods, feeling the knot form in his throat. “Okay, I will. Thank you.”

 

He makes his way to the exam room, clutching Wu Bai Wan tightly to his chest, and the turns to face him as he walks in. “You must be Zhengting. And is this Wu Bai Wan?”

 

Zhengting anxiously hands over his dog into the stranger’s waiting arms, his head bobbing up and down nervously. “Yeah, this is Wu Bai Wan. Please help. He’s been like this for the past few hours, and I don’t know what’s wrong. He even vomited once.”

 

The vet is already examining Wu Bai Wan, checking his dog’s breathing and temperature. “Do you know if he ate anything different than usual?”

 

“Not as far as I know. He just had his normal food today, and I gave him one or two treats late afternoon. Maybe about four hours ago? And he’s never had this reaction before.”

 

“How about diarrhea?”

 

“I don’t think I saw anything, at least not yet. But he hasn’t had much to eat today compared to normal.” Zhengting peers down at his dog worriedly. “He didn’t even finish half of his food bowl. And he normally eats it all.”

 

“And you said he vomited once? Do you remember what color and what it looked like?”

 

“I’m not sure. Just a brown?” Zhengting wracks his brain trying to remember, but he’s drawing a blank in his panicked state.

 

“Hey, Zhengting. It’s going to be okay.”

 

He is startled when he feels the other boy’s hand covering his own, stopping the nervous drumming of his fingers against the table. For the first time, he looks at the vet and is met with a kind smile, one that calms his racing, negative thoughts. _Oh._ And he’s kind of cute, his hair slightly messy, looking as if he’s run his hand through it too many times throughout the day, and Zhengting has an insane urge to smooth down the piece that is sticking up at an odd angle. Then the other boy breaks into a cheerful smile, showing off his front teeth, his eyes sparkling.

 

“Wu Bai Wan is going to be okay, I promise.”

 

And Zhengting is comforted by the boy’s reassuring words, his tone calm, but firm. “Do you want to wait in the other room? I just want to run a few tests.”

 

Zhengting feels the nervousness come back. “What are you going to do?”

 

“Just a blood test, electrolytes, and maybe an ultrasound.”

 

He nibbles on his lower lip uneasily, tasting a bit of blood when he bites down too hard, and he winces. “Is any of that going to hurt him?”

 

The other boy shakes his head. “No, none of it will hurt him.”

 

And Zhengting feels like a child as the other boy guides him out of the exam room and into the waiting area, grasping his arm gently, his hand resting on Zhengting’s lower back. “Don’t worry. I’m going to take good care of Wu Bai Wan. How about you wait here for a bit.” Zhengting sits down numbly into one of the chairs, the plastic feeling cold against his back. “I’ll come and get you when I’m done.”

 

The other boy disappears back into the hallway with the exam room, and Zhengting slumps into the chair, suddenly feeling the exhaustion sweep over him. He had been busy the past few days, only catching a few hours of sleep each night, and the stress from the past week was starting to finally hit him. He feels the ache of tiredness in his bones, and his eyelids feel heavy, being pressed down by sleepiness.

 

_Maybe just a few minutes._

 

Zhengting opens his eyes suddenly, snapping wide awake with the sound of Wu Bai Wan on his lips. The waiting room is quiet, still aglow with the soft overhead lights, and he notices that he’s covered by a white vet’s coat, shielding him from the air conditioned room. And he catches a glimpse of the name stitched to the coat. _Dr. You Zhangjing._ The raised letters feel bumpy underneath his fingertips, and the face of the other boy pops into his head. _So that’s his name._ He glances up at the clock on the wall and realizes with a shock that he’s been asleep for hours, the traitorous hour hand showing one in the morning.

 

“Hey, sorry. You looked like you were really tired, so I decided to let you sleep.” The voice startles him slightly, and he turns to see the other boy walking back into the room, two mugs in his hand. “By the way, I don’t think I ever introduced myself. I’m Zhangjing.”

 

Zhengting accepts the mug that the other boy holds out to him, the drink still warm to the touch. “What is this?”

 

“Just tea.” Zhangjing shrugs. “Something for you to sip on.”

 

Zhengting nods at the other boy gratefully. “Thanks. Sorry that I fell asleep. How’s Wu Bai Wan doing?”

 

The other boy plops down in the seat next to him, running his hand through his hair, making the urge rise up in Zhengting again. _That damn piece of hair._ Zhangjing blinks a few times and rubs his eyes before responding, his eyes looking wide and sleepy. _Cute._ “He’s doing okay. Based on what you told me and his tests, I think he has gastroenteritis. I started him on an IV drip and some antibiotics. And he’ll need to eat a bland diet for the next two to three days, but he’s going to be fine.”

 

Zhengting sighs inwardly in relief. _Thank god._ And it isn’t until he’s already half-hugging the other boy tightly with appreciation that he remembers that not everyone likes to be touched without asking, but the physical contact is second nature to him, automatic. Zhangjing pats his back though, and it feels nice, feels nice to be taken care of, to not have to worry. Because as much as he loves them, sometimes it is hard being the one responsible for all the younger ones around the clock. Sometimes he just needs a break, time off from putting out all the little fires in their lives.

 

“Thank you.” He mumbles the words into the other boy’s shoulder. “For everything, Wu Bai Wan and your white coat.”

 

“Of course.” Zhangjing’s voice is soft and lilting against his ear, and Zhengting makes a small noise of surprise when he feels the other boy patting his head comfortingly, his fingers catching slightly on Zhengting’s messy hair. “If you want, you can feel free to sleep here for the rest of the night since it’s late. There’s a couch in the back room.”

 

And there it is again.

 

The nice feeling of Zhangjing’s hand in his, the other boy grabbing him to lead him down the hall. The other boy is holding his hand loosely, and Zhengting feels another insane urge, a longing to intertwine his fingers with Zhangjing’s. _Oh my god, I must be more sleep deprived than I thought._ But looking at the other boy’s back doesn’t help at all, seeing the sharp angles of Zhangjing’s shoulders straining against the fabric of his dress shirt. It makes him want to drape his arms over the shorter boy’s shoulders and rest his chin in the crook of his neck.

 

_Sleep deprivation, sleep deprivation is all this is._

And then Zhangjing is tucking him in, folding the corners of the blanket underneath him, smiling down at him, and all Zhengting can do is make small murmurs of sleepy phrases. _You’re sort of cute._ He’s not sure if he says the words out loud or not, and he hopes desperately that they are just thoughts. “Here, catch some sleep.” The words make him notice the sleepiness in the other boy’s voice, the bags underneath Zhangjing’s eyes.

 

“What about you?” He’s sure he’s spoken the words out loud when the other boy responds.

 

“I’ll be fine.” Zhangjing points a bit to his left. “There’s another couch there if I want to crash. But I’m going to check on your dog first.”

 

“He’ll be okay?”

 

“Yes, I promise.” And the words make his eyelids feel heavy again, the sleep sneaking into his head.

 

“Good night, Zhengting.”

 

Zhengting wakes up with a lingering feeling, and he wonders whether he dreamed that Zhangjing had pressed a goodnight kiss to his forehead or whether it had been real. The beginnings of daylight are streaming through the cracks in the blinds of the room, and Zhengting can see the small bundle curled up on the couch across the room, the smaller boy huddled in a ball. _Oh no, he gave me the only blanket. And his coat._ Zhengting crosses the room, blanket in hand, and gently covers the other boy. He feels a blush start when he looks down at Zhangjing, his lips slightly parted in his sleep, pretty eyelashes pressed up against the pale, smooth skin, the tip of his nose slightly red from the cold, his hands tucked underneath his cheek in a makeshift pillow. _He’s even cuter than I thought yesterday._

He has a brilliant idea and grabs the other boy’s white coat, folding it up into a bundle. But just as he’s about to wedge it carefully under Zhangjing’s head, the other boy begins to stir, waking from his sleep. Zhengting feels his heartbeat quicken as the smaller boy sits up and lets out a yawn, his mouth open wide, his arms stretched out in the air. And he can see the pinkish marks on the other boy’s cheek, where his hand had not quite made it all the way underneath, the pattern from the couch branded across his cheek. Zhangjing blinks at him, voice still groggy with sleep. “Good morning, Zhengting.”

 

“Did you sleep okay?”

 

Zhengting nods. “Are you okay?”

 

And the other boy laughs, a clear and lovely sound. “I’m fine, just been here at the clinic for far too long.”

 

He feels his stomach clench uncomfortably. “Was it because of me that you had to stay late?”

 

Zhangjing’s eyes widen, his hands coming up to protest. “No, no, it’s not your fault at all, truly. I was happy to stay and help Wu Bai Wan.” A rueful smile. “I just wish I didn’t look like a complete trainwreck in front of you.”

 

_But you don’t._

He’s about to respond when the smaller boy stands up abruptly, leaving the room with Zhengting lagging behind. They walk down a few hallways before entering the room with Wu Bai Wan, and all other thoughts fly out of his head when he sees his dog. “Oh!” The little black pup looks much better than yesterday, his tail wagging a bit when he sees Zhengting, even letting out a small bark. Zhengting coos at the dog in his arms affectionately and blushes when he looks up to see Zhangjing staring at him with a huge smile on his face.

 

“You really love him a lot.”

 

“I do.”

 

“You can take him home now. Remember, two to three days with a bland diet and the antibiotics. And I want to see you back in a few days just to check on him. If anything bad happens before then though, feel free to just call the clinic.”

 

Zhangjing has already turned and started walking away when Zhengting haphazardly blurts out his jumbled thoughts. “Zhangjing?” The other boy stops and faces him, inquisitive. “Uhhh, would you like to maybe come with me to take Wu Bai Wan on a walk or something?” Zhengting can feel his face burning with embarrassment already, his words coming out haltingly and awkward.

 

“Oh, to make sure he’s fine from the gastroenteritis? No, that’s not necessary. Wu Bai Wan doesn’t need to be monitored for exercise or anything. He should be fine in a few days.”

 

_That damn smile._

“No, I mean, like…” And Zhengting knows he’s not quite making sense, the lack of sleep and early hours causing everything to come out less smooth than he had hoped. “…more of a thing for you and me, not Wu Bai Wan.” The confused expression on the smaller boy’s face makes him stumble through the last part quickly, his words coming out in a rush. “Like a date with me, I mean. I thought maybe you’d want to take a walk in a park or something because you like dogs. I mean, you obviously like dogs or else you wouldn’t be a vet. Unless, I mean, if you’re a cat person, I would totally understand, but I only have dogs, not cats…”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Yes, what? You like cats better?”

 

“Yes, let’s go on a date.”

 

Zhangjing is laughing now in between his smiles, a few tears coming out. “Oh my god, I’m sorry. I’m really not laughing at you or anything.” A pause. “I just think maybe we should both get some sleep. And perhaps talk to each other when we’re a lot more coherent?”

 

Zhengting smiles back. “Yeah, that would be great.”

 

He adds the other boy to his phone contacts as Zhangjing rattles off his cell, and he’s about to leave when he remembers something, striding up to Zhangjing, who tilts his head questioningly.

 

“Sorry, this was bothering me.”

 

The blush that tints the smaller boy’s cheeks makes him happy as he smooths down the part of Zhangjing’s hair that is sticking up.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, kudos, and feedback are always appreciated!
> 
> Twitter: [@loststickienote](https://twitter.com/loststickienote)  
> Caard: [loststickienote](https://loststickienote.carrd.co/)


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